Ignorance is Bliss
by LovesWritingJ
Summary: "Alex?" he gasped, his voice was shaking, he noticed. A chuckle was heard over the other line. Without seeing him, he knew that Alex was smiling.      "It's great to hear your voice again," Alex commented. "It's been too long."


**Hey, this is LovesWritingJ. Um, I just came up with this randomly...so...tell me what you think!**

* * *

Tom Harris was a beloved English teacher at Ridgecrest High, which was ironic considering he had hated the subject when he was in school.

That had all changed during his eleventh year in Brookland. A man dressed in a police officer's uniform had walked into his English class, informing him and his classmates that Alex Rider had died in a car crash. Tom knew better, though. He recognized the man—Crabby or Crawley or something. Which meant he worked for MI6.

Tom was saddened, as he knew that his best mate would never be coming back. Alex had either died on a mission fighting for Queen and Country, or MI6 had decided to wipe him out of existence, cutting all ties that held him back.

Angry and torn, he had thrown himself back into his studies, remembering how Alex had always chided him about his terrible grammar. Graduating from Brookland with flying colors in all his subjects, Tom was accepted into the prestigious Stanford in the United States. Spending a few years in America after he graduated from Stanford, Tom decided to move back to England, and become a teacher.

Sure, it hadn't been all it was cracked up to be, but he had a knack for keeping kids in line. It hurt a lot, whenever he saw two boys together, laughing at the others' jokes, he was reminded painfully of how that had once been him and his best friend.

"Turn to page 52 in your book, read it, learn it, memorize it, I want an essay on whether you disagree or agree with that statement by tomorrow." Tom said, as he took out his phone and checked his email. The class groaned. They all knew Mr. Harris always hated Tuesdays. Why, they didn't know.

The rustling of papers was heard in the classroom, the silence uninterrupted for several minutes before the P.A. system blared, "Mr. Harris? You have a phone call on Line 2."

Tom stood up, picking up the phone and stabbing the 'Line 2' button. "Hello?" he asked, gritting his teeth. He hated when he was interrupted in the middle of a class.

"Tom."

He froze, oblivious to the curious stares his students were giving him. All he heard was that voice. The one he hadn't heard in years.

"Alex?" he gasped, his voice was shaking, he noticed. A chuckle was heard over the other line. Without seeing him, he knew that Alex was smiling.

"It's great to hear your voice again," Alex commented. "It's been too long."

Tom nodded before realizing that Alex couldn't see him. "How's it been?"

"I'm good. I see you're an English teacher. Ridgecrest High, right?" Alex asked.

Tom was visibly shaking now; his hands were starting to sweat as he gripped even tighter onto the phone as if it was his lifeline. "You've been keeping tabs."

Alex sighed; even know he knew it wasn't an accusation. "Of course I did, I did whatever I could for you, insured your safety, your job..."

"You pulled strings?"

"Of course, I know people, have connections...I'm well-known in the world of lies. I have links with powerful people who owe me favors; I work for the government, so I can obviously do something."

"Why'd you call?" Tom demanded. "You let everyone think you were dead when you were actually alive the entire time? Why didn't you ever contact me?"

"I can't say. But I can tell you this: You're doing good Tom. I'm proud."

Tom was opening his mouth to reply when he received the ever-annoying sound of the dial tone. He stared at the phone in shock. Alex had hung up on him! He mentally cursed the spy's vague answers.

"Mr. Harris?" a girl asked. "Are you alright? You seem a little pale."

Tom nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose before plastering on a small smile. "I'm fine. Just a call from an old...friend."

* * *

Halfway across the world in New York City, twenty-five year old Alex Rider stared at the phone in his hands. He pressed the number 9 on the phone five times, before throwing it into a trash bin, watching detachedly as the phone exploded, leaving nothing but a pile of ash.

He crossed the street, walking into a bank. Ten minutes later, a young, fair haired man dressed in a dark Armani suit and carrying a briefcase exited the bank, sliding on a pair of Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses.

He joined the thick crowds of Americans and blended in, hailing a taxi and looking like any successful businessman. Little did they know, they had a spy in their midst.

* * *

Tom Harris never forgot Alex Rider, for he was many things.

First, Alex was the popular boy who scared Tom because he held so much social rank and power in the school.

Then, he became Tom's saviour when he saved him from those bullies.

Then, he became Tom's best friend and schoolmate.

After that, he became MI6's spy, and his sick friend.

But now, their friendship was lost, he belonged to MI6 and Tom was just living a normal life, all the while knowing that when he was sitting in his home grading papers, Alex was risking everything he had for others.

Everytime the news came on and some millionaire was sent to prison after their plot to kill thousands was revealed, he knew who was behind it.

He knew who had saved the world countless times, risking his life for others.

Jack knew.

MI6 knew.

But the world never knew.

For they would remain clueless to all those who had sacrificed so much so they could continue their everyday lives, basking in normalcy.

After all, innocence is bliss.

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**What'd you all think? Once again, it was pretty random. I only write whenever something pops into my head and that usually happens when I'm just staring into space. So, leave a Review and tell me what you think. **


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